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The Cleveland Junior Naval Academy will remain open, but five other public schools in the City of St. Louis will be closed. That was the decision of Saint Louis Public School leaders at Wednesday night's meeting of the Special Administrative Board.

Superintendent Kelvin Adams says the small magnet high school was spared after parents and alumni developed a recruitment plan that will add 30 students to the incoming freshman class this fall. They'll build on that increased enrollment through partnerships with middle schools.

District officials still plan to close Sherman Elementary, L'Ouverture Middle School, Fresh Start South, Multiple Pathways, and Beaumont High School.

Plans to switch from a three-tier bell system to a two-tier system were scrapped. That will save the district more than $5 million next year.

Three public schools and more than 130 staff members, including 82 teachers, are facing the budget ax in the cash-strapped St. Louis public school district.

At Wednesday night's school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams recommended closing Sherman Elementary, L’Ouverture Middle School, and the Cleveland NJROTC Academy. Scores of students and parents attended the meeting in support of the military magnet school.

Adams also proposed increasing class sizes at the remaining schools.

The proposed cuts would trim $14 million from the district's budget.

The Special Administrative Board will vote next month on the recommendations.

District officials will gather feedback on the proposals at two forums this Saturday. The first will be from 10 a.m. to noon at Vashon High School, 3035 Cass Avenue. The second will be from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Central Visual Performing Arts High School, 3125 South Kingshighway.